“Our Power, Our Planet” say the Earth Day Coalition
Hundreds of people took to the streets of central London for Earth Day (22 April) to pressure the UK government to fulfil its environmental pledges and clean up its record on justice and democracy.
Members of The Earth Day Coalition processed slowly down Whitehall to Parliament Square, led by 60 Red Rebels London and accompanied by Extinction Rebellion (XR) drummers. The broad-based Coalition included faith groups, environmental organisations, and concerned citizens.
On arrival at Parliament Square, XR Buddhists led a walking meditation around the area. Members of Sacred Earth Activism and Christian Climate Action also held a joint ceremony of dedication to the Earth. The aim was to help us all re-member, repair and restore enough to be in right relationship with the web of life, so that we take responsibility for behaving with justice, compassion, belonging and love to all things.
One participant who initially “was just being nosy”, said: “I don’t know what you did there, but I feel transformed. I couldn’t walk away. I feel so much lighter, and happy. Yes, happy.”
Another said: “I wasn’t going to come. What’s the point? What difference will it make? Then, the tube strike. But this ceremony made it all worthwhile. I feel renewed.”
A rally with speeches from allied campaigns, such as Greenpeace and Media Sovereignity, followed the ceremony. Its objective was to demand the UK government fulfil its duty to protect wildlife and safeguard clean air and water as well as end its support for more fossil fuel extraction.
A joint assessment of the Labour Party’s first year in government conducted by Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace revealed a mixed performance to date. Despite meaningful early progress in renewable energy terms, the study revealed serious shortfalls in nature protection. The government’s track record on justice and democracy was also poor.
This year’s theme for Earth Day, which was ‘Our Power, Our Planet”, was clearly reflected in the London action. The campaign catchphrase pointed to the important role that people and communities worldwide play in protecting the environment in the face of challenges, such as conflict, a global cost of living crisis, and climate impacts. The aim was to highlight how influential collective action can be in enabling environmental, and other, vital change.